An international team led by computational biologist Fran Supek at IRB Barcelona develop a machine learning method to predict unknown gene functions of microbes.

The system examines and compares ‘big data’ available on the metagenomes of human and environmental microbiomes.

Understanding the functions of genes in bacteria that form part of the human microbiome—the collection of microbes found inside our bodies—is important because these genes might explain mechanisms of bacterial infection or cohabitation in the host, antibiotic resistance, or the many effects—positive and negative—that the microbiome has on human health.